I'm wondering if anyone has gotten Spark's hardware X0X buttons to control other software sequencers. For example, can you press one of the 16 X0X step/buttons of Spark's hardware and it will turn a Note On (Step On) of another sequencer like Geist or Maschine for example?

I think the process mrfugu is describing will let you sequence other instruments using Spark's step sequencer : it will input the notes in Spark's internal step sequencer, and it can trigger instruments from outside Spark.

But it won't let you use another step sequencer such as the M4L sequencer, with the LEDs lighting up if the steps are active in the M4L sequencer and all...

I am not sure if it is actually possible to do that easily, but that would be lovely indeed. Maybe with the MIDI Control center and a smart implementation in the step sequencer you want to control...

So you could basically control the sounds from Ableton (that the M4L sequencer would normally control). But you are saying that it won't actually input any 'note on' message into Ableton's sequencer?

If that's the case, that would be ok with me as long as I can get my other sequencers to record the sequence, after I have it in Spark. I would still like it to actually turn on the steps of other sequencers though. That would really make Spark's controller the go-to for all drum sequencing.

well of course you can just create all the patterns inside park and then - in theory - simply drag/export them out of the library area into your host sequencer tracks as & when required.

but there's a bug - the spark sequencer plays the s/w drums fine but as soon as you export the pattern from spark and open the pattern in logic or whatever the notes are on the wrong pitches!

is that a known bug?

There is a preference for exported Drum notes, I expect the 'general midi' setting would get you closest to something for an external drum module. 'custom' should map to whatever notes you might have cmd-clicked on the pads, and 'spark', I'm not sure what the spark's default notes are, but they should be documented somewhere.

well of course you can just create all the patterns inside park and then - in theory - simply drag/export them out of the library area into your host sequencer tracks as & when required.

but there's a bug - the spark sequencer plays the s/w drums fine but as soon as you export the pattern from spark and open the pattern in logic or whatever the notes are on the wrong pitches!

is that a known bug?

There is a preference for exported Drum notes, I expect the 'general midi' setting would get you closest to something for an external drum module. 'custom' should map to whatever notes you might have cmd-clicked on the pads, and 'spark', I'm not sure what the spark's default notes are, but they should be documented somewhere.

hope this helps,

no it makes no difference, those preferences set the pads note numbers only. and whatever you set them to, the pattern still exports with the notes on the wrong note numbers.. it's a bug.